THE RAIN (1/2) ; LEX LUTHOR

8. FEAR

15 YEARS AGO

Alexander's Perspective

A week had past since that day we first went to the woods. I had never been happier. Let alone, I had never been excited to go to school before.

"Andrea!" I happily called her name and ran towards her as I gripped the straps of my backpack. I was surprised to see her here. She wasn't in the same classes I was in, yet here she was. Standing next to my teacher. Yet when I got to her I immediately realized something was wrong.

She had a look on her face of worry, showing that she was nervous. Andrea was never nervous. Even if she probably needed to be scared usually she would still be comfortable. Yet she now had a look on her face as if she was terrified. If Andrea was nervous, it meant something. It meant something was really wrong.

"What's wrong--" I put my hand on Andrea's shoulder before I was interrupted by the teacher.

"Alexander, the principle wants to see you." my eyes widened.

"W-what?"

...

The teacher walked into the principles office with me, keeping close to my side. I wondered why Andrea wasn't coming with us yet something told me to not ask.

"Please, sit down Alexander." The principle spoke up. I quickly nodded and sat down in one of the chairs.

"What's going on? I-I didn't do anything wrong did I?"

"No Alexander. Of course not." I looked over to the teacher as she sat down in the chair next to me. She clasped her hands together and sighed a little before looking to me.

"We're just worried about your living situation..." my eyes widened a little.

"W-why? I'm fine... Why do you ask? Do you ask everyone this or just me?" I desperately tried to change the subject as they both stared at me. I kept looking back and forth between them. The principle spoke again.

"We were told by an anonymous source that your father has been abusing you for sometime now. And your mother hasn't been stopping it--"

"My mother's dead!" I yelled, panting already. I could feel the familiar pressure of panic creep in. My palms started sweating, tears swelling up in my eyes and threatening to spill. I bit my lip.

"...My apologies, Alexander. I did not mean to panic you--"

"I'm fine. Just let me leave? There's nothing wrong with my family... everything's fine..." the teacher sighed again as I begged. The principle spoke up, keeping his hands on the table as he leaned towards me.

"Alexander, does your father hit you? Like... After you didn't do anything wrong? Or does he give you serious punishments for small mistakes?" I felt a lump in my throat. I wasn't good at lying at all. Especially when I was panicking. I was the worst liar in the world yet I knew if I didn't lie the worst things that could happen, would happen.

"I...I--"

"We were also told by the source that you have bruises all along your arms, all caused by your father. Is this true? Would you prefer to show us rather than tell us?" I shook my head quickly as the tears swelled up even more. I could feel the truth on the tip of my tongue. The words begged to be set free as I had to bite down harder on my lip to stop myself. I felt like I could vomit. Then, a different kind of vomit came out. Word vomit.

"Yes. Yes it's all true. He hits me constantly and blames me for my mother's cancer. He won't let me into the house before seven pm. He hurts me everyday and he almost hurt Andrea... I'm sorry..." as I let the words spill out I looked down at myself and let my tears spill. I covered my eyes as I cried into my palms. I was ashamed of myself. I let my panic get the better of me. Now who knows what comes next.

"Excuse me." the teacher stood and quickly left the room. As she closed the door behind herself the principle stood up and went after her. He turned to me and sighed again.

"We'll be right back. Don't go anywhere..." I nodded as he then left the room. I let it all out the second I could hear the door close.

I brought my knees up to my face and began to rock back and forth. My hands held my shins as I shook my head and stared down at myself. I knew exactly what would happen next, what they do to kids like me. I would be ripped out of my home and thrown into a orphanage. I would probably never see Andrea or my father ever again. I couldn't stand the idea of losing Andrea. She was my only friend and the only thing I had. I couldn't lose her. I then realized maybe I wouldn't lose Andrea as I looked up and saw a window.

I gasped and quickly walked closer towards it. I knew if I opened the window the woods were not too far away, at least in a running distance. I pressed my forehead against the window and thought to myself. I could probably run away if I really wanted to... I gasped again as my plan finally popped into my head.

I would open the window, run away, and go to the woods. Andrea would find me, she goes to the woods everyday after school. I would find our spot and wait for her. She would know what to do. She would know what to say. She would teach me how to handle this and we would be just fine again. We would figure it out from there.

It clearly hadn't sank in that she was the one that told on me as I began to slide the window open.